Fishing gloves are a dichotomy, an incongruity, a conflict of interest. They cover and protect your hands when you’re doing something that requires hand dexterity and sensitivity. Yet there are many occasions in fishing when you have to wear gloves, because if you don’t, the cold will force you to stop fishing. Or, you’ll get way too much sun on your hands, which are continually exposed to the sun’s rays, and court skin cancer.
Fortunately, there are gloves designed for various types of conditions, from super cold to sunny and hot. Here’s a list of fishing scenarios and the gloves that work best for each.
If it’s cold enough outside to make ice thick enough to walk on, it’s cold—probably way below 32 degrees. That means you need warm gloves. A pair of gloves that makes its own heat is ideal in these situations, for two reasons. First, the obvious: it’s cold, and if you’re simply standing or sitting, watching tip-ups or using a jigging rod, your hands will get cold quickly. You need warm gloves simply to be out there. Second, there will be a few occasions when you need to take those gloves off for a short while, such as when tying a knot. You’ll need to warm up your hands immediately when you put the gloves back on—and heated gloves are ideal for that.
Casting, retrieving, tying knots, opening and closing tackle boxes and trays, removing hooks from fish—fishing requires plenty of fine motor skills. Gloves that are thick enough to keep you warm, but thin enough to enable you to accomplish all those task—and provide a decent gripping surface—are necessities. Gloves with fingertips that fold back out of the way let you tie knots and perform other essential steps without taking the gloves entirely off. Such gloves are available for both cool and cold weather conditions.
Fishing exposes your hands to skin-cancer-causing UV rays for two reasons. First, because you’re on the water, you’re exposed to both direct sunlight and sunlight reflected off of the water’s surface. Second, when you’re using a fishing rod, you hold the rod in front of you, so your hands get the full force of the sun’s rays. You can use sunscreen, but that tends to run down onto your palms and fingertips, making it difficult to fish efficiently. Gloves that are designed to protect your skin from the sun are breathable, so your hands won’t get hot and sweaty, and have gripping surfaces so you can hold a fishing rod and operate a reel easily.
